A friend of mine who lives on Peng Chau invited me over to the Hong Kong Outlying Island for a visit yesterday afternoon. I thought of abandoning my trip when, on my way to catch a ferry over from one of the Central Ferry Piers, I
had to pass by as many as 50 riot police inside the MTR station closest to it. I'm glad I didn't do so because things turned out to be considerably
more relaxed and laid-back just a 25 minute ferry ride away and I had a pleasurable good few hours on the island shooting the breeze with friends, drinking,
eating, enjoying the sunset from a rooftop, and taking in the fresh air that had a hint of fall to it.
Then I got home, switched on the computer, checked the news and found
that there had been more clashes between the police and protesters at Sha Tin, Mongkok, Kwai Fong, Sham Shui Po, West Kowloon, Tuen Moon and elsewhere -- some of which that would result in more tear gas buffets before the day drew to a close. Suddenly, my brief Peng Chau sojourn felt like it had taken place in another world along with time; so much so that I feel a need to offer up photographic evidence in this post to show how different that part of Hong Kong looked and seemed from those that largely make the news these days, locally and far beyond...
View from a pedestrian bridge by the side of the IFC of the
main entrance to the Airport Express section of Hong Kong
Station (complete with multiple police vans parked by its side)
Advance warning: the ferry ride there can be rather bumpy...!
But 25 minutes, you can calm down by viewing serene sights
like this while standing on undisputably solid ground ;b
Not most people's idea of how Hong Kong looks
this summer -- or any other time, actually!
The very top section of Peng Chau's Tin Hau Temple
(which has had a revamp since I first took a photo of it!)
but I did find an Abbey Road (sign) there... ;)
View of the sunset from a Peng Chau rooftop
Quite the splendid view to be had from my friend's
beloved Peng Chau home
8 comments:
Hi There,
Peng Chau was a place that I spent hundreds of weekends and other holidays there back in the mid-1980's. Maybe a few Typhoon days there too. A good and quite place (even during local temple festivals & CNY, maybe with some illegal fireworks which the local cops may look away at time) to dwell upon.
I could still recognise some faces there. I still remember the big fire of the deliric Great China Match Factory site. I was there on that day. The smoke was horrible.
T
Hi T --
I didn't start visiting Peng Chau until the beginning of this decade but right from my first visit, I've felt its charm. Still, I really only started visiting more regularly since a friend moved to Peng Chau about a year ago. When was the last time that you were over there? Hope witnessing the big Great China Match Factory fire didn't put you off the place!
Hi There,
It had been quite a few years. I think I was there two or three years ago twice. Just walking around the island (literally), get some chow, bought some saseme cookies from the shop...... Our last rented flat at Peng Chau was the Cinema Building, with a balcony as big as the flat itself. One of the then flatmates (who was a Marine Police constable) built a slightly bigger than bath tub size Koi pool out of bricks on the balcony. Don't know if the landlord had demolished the pool or not after all these years.
These days with all those events out there, my wandering on weekends become quite restricted. I don't want to bump into any of the events. I guess it would be safer for me to go to Cheung Chau as there is a Kaito to Cheung Chau from Aberdeen shelter. Don't have to get across the Central for it.
I may still venture to Peng Chau if I could get out early one weekend though.
T
Hi again T --
My weekend wanderings have also become more restricted than usual times. I've not been much to the New Territories this summer -- with the few times I've done so being to take part in protests for the most part. It doesn't help things that the events of July 21st make me feel that Yuen Long is safe place and that the MTR has taken to pre-emptively closing down/off certain train stations and sections of line hours in advance of protests, even legal ones.
Hi There,
I guess the hiking paths on Hong Kong Island are generally safe despite the events. My limitation is sort of related to mobile data coverage as I an the only one on my team running 7 X 24 standby. I have to take my notebook computer with me wherever I go. If the phone rings, I have to find some sheltered place to settle down and setup shop. Quite a few locations along hiking paths are still haveing sketchy coverage these days.
I hope someone else could take it up and be on a roster soon as I could have someone covering me. Oh well, that's the problem of my manager.
T
Hi once more T --
I (still) think much of Hong Kong is safe for much of the time, actually. In any case, good luck re having someone else on your team being on 7 X 24 standby in the near future!
Hi There,
I was in Peng Chau earlier today. Very quiet, very nice. When I was walking around I noticed the birds:
1. There is a hugh flock of bulbul near the pier, at the trees around the plaground. Ther emaybe more than one spices of bulbul there. I saw some white necked ones;
2. There are some night heron in the East Bay\North Bay area;
3. In the villages closer to the now RTHK station, there is a lot of Japanese white eyes;
Other than birds, there are butterflies too. Quite a lot of them around the RTHK station there. Further towards North Bay, lots of dragon flies.
Had to go much earlier next time as the sasame buscuits were all gone.
T
Hi once again T --
My friend who lives in Peng Chau has become quite the avid birdwatcher since moving to the island. She has bought a bird book, uses binoculars to scan for birds from her balcony and rooftop, etc.!
I miss doing my critter spottings this summer. Was thinking it might be too late to pay a visit to Fong Yuen Butterfly Reserve this year but now you have me thinking it might be worth doing so one day next week...
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